Happy week-before-Halloween! My girl and I made caramel apples a couple of weeks ago, and we had so much fun, we’re doing it again tomorrow.

The great thing about caramel apples is, the possibilities are endless. Whether you leave the caramel plain and glossy and beautiful…or decorate it with everything you can get your hands on…the end result is always individual and special.

And oh-so-delicious, which is the most important part.

Apples! Any variety, any size. I like to give them a good rinse under hot (as hot as my fingers can handle) water, then dry them with a rough dishtowel, rubbing kind of vigorously as I dry them. The wax coating on apples can create problems later when it comes to the caramel sticking, and this seems to help a little bit.

Caramel. You can use the individually wrapped squares, of course, but unwrapping them is grueling and torturous and kills my joy. If you have them available, these caramel melts are so nice and easy. I used about three (11-ounce) bags. Maybe I used four. I’ve slept since then.

Note: True caramel apples, of course, are those that involve making your own caramel (with brown sugar or corn syrup or sweetened condensed milk or all of the above). In my caramel-loving opinion, that sure makes for a delicious caramel apple, but if you’re planning on coating the caramel apple with all sorts of adornments, the caramel squares or melts are really just fine. And using a candy thermometer can sometimes kill my joy, too.

I’m weird like that.

You’ll also need toppings. Mini M&M’s are nice and cute and colorful.

Chocolate chips.

Coconut. Blech. I don’t like it. But lots of people do, and they to on to lead very normal lives!

Slivered almonds.

And crushed pretzels.

Other stuff you can use alone or with other things: crushed Heath bar, crushed pecans, graham cracker crumbs, crushed saltines, crushed cashews, etc. Another thing you can do is melt different colors of candy melts, put each color in its own disposable pastry (or Ziploc) bag, and pipe the different colors all over the apples in a vertical design.

Throw the caramel pieces in a double boiler, a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water, or–if you’re lazy like me–a pot. Beware if you use a heavy cast iron pot like this, though: it can get too hot and burn the caramel before it all has a chance to melt.

But I love walking on the wild side.

As the caramel is melting, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream (I splashed in a little more than that; oops), a little vanilla extract for flavor, and a little salt. I think a little salt gives the caramel apples a wonderful flavor no matter what topping you use.

Note: You do have to be careful about adding too much cream or vanilla to the melted caramel, as it can lose the thickness/stickiness necessary to stick to the apples.

Here I am with the chopsticks again.

I love them. And I don’t care who knows it.

Stick the chopsticks into the bottom of the rinsed and dry apples, then dip them, turning them as you go.

I like to cover the entire apple up to the base of the stick; I had to tilt the pot to get it to coat.

Let the excess drip into the pan, then head on over to the toppings.

You really only have about 30 to 45 seconds before the caramel starts to set enough to make coating the caramel apples a little difficult. So go ahead and roll them or dip them in whatever dry ingredient as soon as you can. It might take an apple or two to get the hang of coating things while the caramel is still really soft and melted without creating a gloopy mess on the plate of toppings…but the good thing is, the trial-and-error is so delicious.

My girl did the M&M versions. Don’t be concerned that the M&M’s will melt–they won’t!

IMPORTANT: In my experience refrigerating the caramel apples right after topping/coating them really encourages that caramel to stay put better. I usually have waxed paper sitting on three or four quarter-sheet pans, so that as soon as I finish three or four apples, I get them straight in the fridge. And keep ‘em in there for a good couple of hours at least. (You can lick the caramel pan clean to tide you over in the meantime.)

Once they’re nice and set, you can serve them on a platter…or wrap the ends in cellophane or plastic wrap and hand them out as treats.

Preparation Instructions

Melt caramel with cream in a double boiler or glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Add vanilla and salt and stir until smooth.

Stick one chopstick in the bottom of each apple. One at a time, dip the apple in the caramel, coating it all the way to the base of the stick. Allow excess to drip back into the pan for a couple of seconds, then carefully roll the apple in whatever topping you'd like. (There's a small window of opportunity for the toppings to easily stick!)

Repeat with all the apples, refrigerating apples as soon as they're coated. Once cool, wrap apples with cellophane or plastic wrap.

Mel On Monday, October 24 at 8:13 am

Ah! We are practically in synch… we came home with all the fixings to melt caramels and dip apples, but our apples disappeared. gah! We searched, but they must have got left behind… so we made chile rellenos instead. Those were amazing, but your caramel apples have reignited a certain craving!

Last week for work, I made about 150 caramel apples for an event. Let me tell ya….it was my first time making them and I was sorely disappointed to see that the next day, all the caramel was starting to drip down the apples. It was a sad moment. At least now I’ll have a handy reference post for the future. That is, if I’m not sick of caramel apples by next year!

…Wow! Thank you for the link Urban Wife! I clicked and saw that block of caramel and instantly started drooling. *giggle* :o)

…Again, thank you!

…Blessings

jeanne On Monday, October 24 at 8:17 pm

THANK YOU! I couldn’t find the caramel melts anywhere. In fact Ree, I’d never heard of them. I even search the internet and was flat going to order some. But NO! Thanks Urban Wife!

Erin On Wednesday, October 26 at 2:09 pm

@Jeanne, I found the caramel melts at Wal-Mart just a few weeks ago.

Pamela On Thursday, October 27 at 8:08 pm

The secret to getting the caramel to stick is to make sure you get all the wax (or whatever that residue is) off the apples. One site suggested using a fine grade of sandpaper. I couldn’t bear to do that so I used a clean green scrubber instead.

Jennifer W On Monday, October 24 at 8:38 am

So ree…I’m thinking you are off the “refined sugar” fast??? Because I could NOT bring myself to make these without eating at least 3. cravinggggggggggg…….

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Pam Dub On Monday, October 24 at 8:41 am

I think I am going to have apples and fondue on Halloween. That way the core is out, the apples are cold, and the caramel is warm, a lovely combination. Oh, I will also have chopped nuts for the finale.

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Kate On Monday, October 24 at 8:42 am

Guess who was already planning to make these today? Me! Thanks for the tips to spice things up!

sue On Monday, October 24 at 8:49 am

sue On Monday, October 24 at 8:50 am

Do you ship to Michigan?

Paula P. On Monday, October 24 at 6:12 pm

I was gonna ask the same question, but I’m from CT!

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Cherylfnh On Monday, October 24 at 8:54 am

LOVE the salt and pretzels idea! I usually dip in caramel then dip in melted chocolate THEN add the toppings. I’m going to try the salt on the caramel then dipped in chocolate then pretzels on the outside. Sounds good to me!

Cindy J. - FL On Tuesday, November 1 at 5:28 pm

Holy deliciousness!! These look amazing and if this=Halloween, then they make the whole “do I have to dress up for Halloween” debate a no-brainer. I do find caramel apples difficult to eat though, so I like slicing them up and dipping them too!

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Deb C On Monday, October 24 at 9:25 am

Working in a group home – at least the residents get to see how pretty they are before we mash em up and serve em!

Also, if you use latex gloves, you can get the water much hotter and wipe the alar-free fruits with a towel.

Trina On Monday, October 24 at 9:32 am

Debra Welch On Monday, October 24 at 12:05 pm

Thanks so much Trina. I live in a rural area and it is hard to find some items for recipes.

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Allison On Monday, October 24 at 9:45 am

I’ve made pretty much this same recipe before but instead of whole apples I would cut my apples into square chunks and then proceed as the recipe directs. Both of my kids love caramel apples but couldn’t eat them when they had braces. Cutting the apples up and then dipping them was a way to make the bites small enough that they didn’t have to bite into a whole apple and risk breaking a wire or doing some other damage.

Sandi On Monday, October 24 at 8:17 pm

That’s the only way I can eat them, too. It’s a pity, an apple like these photos sounds good, but my front teeth would snap off. (Again. 5th grade PE class was adventurous…) I just core it with the device that takes out the middle and breaks the rest into 8 wedges. I console myself there’s probably more caramel coating on my bites.

I’m wondering where to find these caramel melt things. I’ll have to check when I go to the store. I bought a whole bunch of apples to do this, then promptly forgot to buy the caramels to go with it. Doh! Not having to unwrap all those squares would be nice, so perhaps this will work in my favor.

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Kim R On Monday, October 24 at 9:45 am

How do you get the apples off of the wax paper? OMG, I never thought of salt! Heavenly!

I don’t know how she does it but I used parchment paper for my caramel. It comes off easier than it does on the waxed paper and it doesn’t leave a residue like the waxed paper does. Another option my mom uses for hers is to line a cookie sheet with powdered sugar, crushed nuts, or other crushed treats and set the final dipped apples on that. The sugar or nuts help keep the pool of caramel from spreading too much.

Bobbi On Monday, October 24 at 10:44 pm

Lightly spray parchment paper with Pam, works like a charm.

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Nikki On Monday, October 24 at 9:49 am

This is so funny since we made caramel apples last nite. What method do you use so that they don’t stick to the paper you have them on? We spread butter on wax paper but it stuck to the bottoms of the apples.

And my husband was just complaining about unwrapping the caramels too! Those caramels look awesome – for me to just eat as well

Parchment works better at wax. I’ve had bad experiences with the warm caramel melting wax and then A) getting wax in the food and B) making the caramel stick to the paper. See the note in the comment above this one. Placing the apples on a pan lined with toppings or sugar coats the bottoms and keeps them from sticking.

My mother-in-law makes amazing apples! She dips in caramel and then in chocolate. I’m getting a tutorial next week. Can’t wait!
And when I was pregnant she rolled them in Nerds (my candy of choice this pregnancy), and they were so good and colorful!! Try it!

Lisa in Alberta On Tuesday, October 25 at 10:20 am

Okay, I’m going to take your advice and try and make these… though I’ve been hurt before.

(As in, my caramel all sloughs off and I end up with a whole bunch of apples on sticks and a whole platter filled with giant hills of caramel. It’s like a tragedy, only with less death or poverty.)

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patimk On Monday, October 24 at 10:22 am

Those salted ones look so good. Have to try those!

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Kirsten M On Monday, October 24 at 10:25 am

Beautiful! And I’m with ya on the candy thermometer. I made 7-minute frosting this weekend and I swear that thing would not go above 150 (it was supposed to get up to 160). So I gave up on it and used my best judgment and it turned out fine.

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Shari On Monday, October 24 at 10:33 am

Yum!!! I’m a caramel apple fan from waaaaay back. There’s just nothing like them this time of year. I noticed that you stuck the stick in the bottom of the apple, and I found it interesting because I have always stuck them in the top. Do you have a special reason? Or is it just a case of different minds?

…….Now these are something I can sink my teeth into……and hope I still have teeth when I pull them out again!!! Where to you find carmel melts???? What a great idea! Oh wait, dangit……..I started a diet yesterday………should have known better than to come here……………………………welllllll, there is always next week……or the week after…..

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Ashley Smith On Monday, October 24 at 10:38 am

I love me a caramel apple. When my husband worked out of town he would always buy me one at the airport and bring it home to me. I think the best best best way for a caramel apple to be is dipped in caramel, then in chocolate then in toppings (I partial to cinnamon sugar). deep breath in deep breath out.

Caroline On Monday, October 24 at 8:40 pm

I ABSOLUTELY agree. Best, best, best way!

Laurel On Tuesday, October 25 at 12:39 pm

I intend to make the caramel/chocolate/nut ones this year for my daughter for Christmas. Last year, we bought ONE at the Houston Nutcracker Market for TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS!!! Yep, it’s true, but it sure was yummy! THIS year, I will make a couple of small ones for her and her husband.

I make caramel apples with my mom’s old recipe which is the base for this http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/saffron-salted-caramel-with-cashews/ Just leave out the saffron and cashews, and only cook it to about 225F, then dip your apples and roll them in topping. For an extra treat line a cookie sheet with powdered sugar or your favorite nut or crushed treat and place the dipped apples on that to set up, then you get a 360 coating all the way around the apple. Whenever possible use local grown apples, some grocery store varieties can be cold stored for up to a year before they even hit your store shelves. Also local grown aren’t coated in food grade preservative, they will still have a whitish waxy coating but that is a natural protectant that the apple produces and is much easier to wash off. The best way to remove waxy coating on apples is to fill your sink 2/3 full with water and add about 2 cups of apple cider vinegar, put your apples in and let them sit for about 5 minutes, then remove from water and rub dry with a terrycloth dishtowel.

Misty In Houston On Monday, October 24 at 10:53 am

Thank you for sharing this recipe. My Son has been wanting to make them and I did not know how. Now I do not have to buy the premade one in the store with the bruised apple center!!! His little cousins are coming this weekend and this will be our Fun project. Monster House in 3-D will be the movie for the Night!! Good Times….

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Roxy On Monday, October 24 at 10:57 am

Wish I had seen this yesterday! Your apples look muuuucccchhh better than mine. Mine still taste good, but they are a gooey delicious mess. Every fall, I try to make a good looking caramel apple, only to FAIL. But I still eat the results. I’ve got the caramel down this year, but not the addition of chocolate or toppings. I’m gonna try your version this week! Thanks.

Theresa in Alberta On Monday, October 24 at 11:09 am

Glad to know I’m not the only American cook out there addicted to chopsticks in the kitchen. I’ve got a whole drawer full of them, and use them all the time. IMO, they’re one of the best kitchen tools to have around. BTW, the caramel apples look delicious

R,
Can I just say that you are seriously rockin my world with inspiration. I am a new blogger in training ( you have definetly helped me to get a better grip on my food photos, still working on it). Just wanted to say, thanks for sharing. I know the amount of work that goes into every single post !! At least for me….Chop sticks, brilliant !! N

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Cindi P. On Monday, October 24 at 11:22 am

Oh yum! I am going to have to make caramel apples today, especially the ones with salt and crushed pretzels!!

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Manda K On Monday, October 24 at 11:27 am

I was just watching something on food network about caramel apples! I think it was Alton Brown. He recommended dipping the apples in boiling water for 15-20 seconds to get that waxy coating off. Should help the caramel stuck better too!!

Sherry On Monday, October 24 at 12:14 pm

I’ve been working on a Halloween recipe all weekend for an article I’m doing for abcnews.com and I’m sugared out! But the idea of tempering the caramel with salt and nuts has me weakening…this looks like a great idea for an activity for a kids sleepover…anytime during the fall! Thanks Dee!

Just toast that coconut before applying it. I use unsweetened. And you can also melt caramels or caramel chips of chocolate to add to your caramel in the microwave in a Pyrex bowl — no double boiler, easy re-heating.

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CJ Kovic On Monday, October 24 at 12:31 pm

I have been craving caramel apples since your photo appeared last week. And, I’ve been hoping you’d publish your recipe since then. I couldn’t wait so I went the “unwrapping the caramels” route and you’re right, it was grueling. The caramel ended up pooling on the foil, so most of the apples had a skirt of candy, but looked topless! Anyway, I’m looking forward to trying your recipe since I still have a bushel of fresh picked apples on which to practice. Yum!

I have to say…you just blew my low carb diet for the month! Of course, I always make exceptions for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, so I guess it is that time of year. It didn’t really hit me until seeing this!

I am drooling now and wonder if my old teeth would hold up to those! I think slicing would be the best approach and a fun way to share the different combos. Yummy. Looks like something I will have to do with my nieces at Christmas. So excited at the thought.

So funny, I am serving these, and the corn dogs and fried cheese for my 9 year old’s birthday party on Friday. Amazing, how you just happened to have the recipes I needed this week.

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SandiJ On Monday, October 24 at 3:54 pm

Aren’t those sliced almonds? Do I have slices and slivers confused?

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Faith On Monday, October 24 at 4:57 pm

Sweet and salty…. a match made in heaven! I had the most delicious caramel apple in Arizona once – a very, very large Granny Smith apple coated with thick caramel, drizzled with chocolate and covered with salted cashews. Mmmm….mmmmm…good! It was so big you had to eat it over 2 – 3 days. After looking at these pictures I have to go make some.

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Kimberly Denham On Monday, October 24 at 5:24 pm

PW,

We made some last week and rolled them in cinnamon sugar, they were the hit of the party. I love the salt idea.

Saturday, April 4: Freezer Fundamentals! While ranch work is going on outside, freezer work is going on inside! I share four more of my favorite freezer basics, which can be made into a whole bunch of different meals.